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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. GRINNBLL.

Automatic Fire Extinguisher. v No. 231,711. Patented Aug. 31,1880.-

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N.PETERS PHOTO LYHOGRAPHER WASHWUTON D C (No Model;) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. F. GRINNELL. Automatic Fire Extinguisher. No. 231,711. Patented Aug.v31,188C1.

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(No Model.)

P. GRINNELL. Autpmatio Fire Extinguisher.

No. 231,711. 7 Patented Aug. 31,1880.

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-\/\/1TNESSESI INVENTORI FFIC PATENT FREDERICK GRIN NELL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 231,711, dated August 31, 1880.

Application filed May 31, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK GRINNELL, of the city and county of Providence, and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Fire- Extinguishers, (Case A and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention has reference to an improvement in a system of automatic fire-extinguishers; and it consists in the peculiar and novel arrangement, with any kind of balanced valve for regulating the water-supply, of a device by which the valve is opened and the full watersupply is let on to the system of sprinklers, as also the alarm sounded as soon as one of the automatic sprinklers is released, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a'perspective view of a building provided with a system of automatic fire-extinguishers, showingthe valve for regulating the water-supply and by which the alarm is operated. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the valve shown in Fig. 1 and a steam whistle or alarm. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the valve shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a seetional view of a balance-valve provided with a byway and a device for releasing the valve. Fig. 5 is a view of a butterfly-valve provided with means for opening the valve. Fig. 6 represents a valve provided with a diaphragm and means for releasing the valve. Fig. 7 represents a plug-valve adapted i'orautoma-tic operation. Fig. 8 is a sectional view, showing a rotary valve; Fig. 9, a cross-section of the same valve 5 and Fig. 10, an exterior view, showing the operating-lever. Fig.11 is a perspective view of the interior of a building provided with a valve placed at the lower portion of the water-main to control the water-supply, and a valve placed at or near the upper end of the main,-b0th valves provided with a detaching device.

The object of this invention is to prevent any sudden increase of pressure, such as what is known as the water-hammer, from operating the alarm. Another object of the invention is to insure the quick and certain opening of the valve and the alarm as soon as one or more distributors are released.

In the drawings, a represents the watersupply main, 1) the valve controlling the watersupply, 0 the rising main, and d the distributing-pipes. e is the steam-pipe, provided with the valve j, and g is the steam whistle or alarm.

Referring now to Fig. 3,] h are two self- The pistons are provided with cup-packing, so that the pressure of the water forces the cups against the sides of the cylinder and thus prevents leaks.

The water enters at b, and is delivered at b The pistons are secured to the piston-rod t, which extends through astuffing-box. Outside the case of the valve b is a chamber, in which a cushion of water balances the valve against the pressure in the system of pipes exerted against the valve at N. The chamber 1) is connected with the discharge end b by means of a byway, k, in which the three-way cock I is located. This'three-way cock lis connected, by means of an arm and connecting-rod, to the lever m, on which the adj ustable counterweight n is placed. The lever m rests on the piston-rod 0, which is connected with the clastic diaphragm 0, secured to the case 0 which communicates with the interior of the valve.

In the normal condition the valve at b is connected with the water-main, and at b with the system of automatic fireextinguishers, the water of which may be under pressure exerted by filling the same from the main, and, if absolutely tight, a fixed static pressure is maintained. The'valve in the byway being open, the pressure in the chamber b will be the same as the pressure in the chamber b and the diaphragm 0 will be acted against by the same pressure. The weight n is adjusted to balance the pressure in the valve and pipes, so that the three-way cock Z will be retained in the position shown in Fig. 3.

As the two valve-disks hhare in equilibrium, the pressure of the water in the supply-main being exerted on both equally, and as the pressure on the other sides of the disks is also equal, the valve will retain its position under all possible variations of pressure in the water-supply main. As soon as the pressure in b is diminpacking pistons, forming an equilibrium-valve.

ished by reason of a discharge of water from any sprinkler, no matter where located, the diaphragm 0 is depressed by the balance-weight n, and the three-way cock l will turn so as to close the communication from the chamber b to the chamber b and the waste-pipe k is opened to allow the water in the chamber b to be discharged. The pressure due to the weight of the water in the rising main is now exerted on one end of the balance-valve and pushes the same into the chamber b and the pistonrod i is made to operate or detach any suitable alarm. It will therefore be seen that while the valve controlling the water-supply is fixed and immovable as long as the system of automatic fire-extinguishers is inactive, and neither the sudden increase of pressure caused by the water-hammer or the complete withdrawing of the pressure in the supply-main will open the valve or operate the alarm, any diminution of the pressure in the system of pipes extending through the building will instantly open the valve and sound the alarm.

Various forms of valves may be constructed to operate in the same manner, and various devices may be used to retain and operate the valve; but in all cases the valve should be an equilibrium-valve.

Fig. 4 represents an equilibrium-valve op eratingin the same manner as the valve shown in Fig. 3, with this difference, that a stop-cock is placed in the byway-pipek, which is closed as soon as the system of pipes is filled with water, a separate cock, l, being used to discharge the water automatically when the pressure is diminished. 1

Fig. 5 represents a butterfly-valve, which also forms an equilibrium-valve, and when closed is not affected by a variation in pressure. To the pivotal shaft of this valve the arm 19 is secured, having the weight 19 suspended from one end. The lever is provided with a hook or catch, which is held by a hook or catch forming a trip, such as is shown enlarged under the figure. p is a pivoted or hinged arm, and 19 an adjustable hook. The hook on the lever 19 rests on the adj ustable hook or trip 19". When the valve is closed the lever m and weight n are held in, the suspended position shown by the static pressure on the diaphragm. As soon as the pressure is diminished the weight a descends, strikes the arm pfiand disengages the arm 1). The weight p, by gravity, descends and at once opens the valve wide, allowing the water to enter the system of pipes.

Any kind of an alarm may be connected with the arm 19, and will be set in motion or operated by the descent of the weight p.

In the valve shown in Fig. 6 the valve proper is balanced by means of a diaphragm, and the pressure in the rising main is balanced by the weight n, which, when the pressure diminishes, acts on the valve-stem and forces the valve open. The alarm can be connected to any moving part of the valve, and will be sounded as soon as the pressure is diminished.

'ver 19.

In Fig. 7 a cylindrical valve is shown having an enlargement of the case surrounding the cylinder, so that the Water will freely enter when the cylinder is withdrawn. 7

The cylinder is held in the case by means of a latch connected with the lever m by means ofa connectin g-rod. When the pressure diminishes the weight it forces the end of the lever connected with the diaphragm down, and the other end disen gages the latch 19, and the static pressure opens the valve.

q is a button, to which a weightis connected by means of a wire or cord, and, this button is released when the piston-cylinder is unlatched.

In Figs. 8, 9, and 10 a rotary valveis shown, which is held similar to the butterfly-valve by means of the lever 19, and operated by means of the weightp, as only one-third of a turn is required to open the ports. When three ports are used the stop 0' is arranged to stop the le- The lever is released by the diminution of the pressure in the rising-main, as in all of the other valves.

The principle in all these valves requisite to perform the required functions is that of a balanced valve opened quickly by any desired means on the diminution of the pressure of waterin the pipes constituting the system of automatic tire-extin guishers, caused either by aleak or the release of one or more of the distributors. As in an extended system of pipes over alarge building there is considerable loss by friction in the pipes, and as, therefore, in such a system the diminution of pressure at the main valve would be very slight, I place a small automatic valve near the upper tier of distributers, where the static pressure is less than near the bottom, where any diminution is more readilyfelt, Fig. 11 represents this arrangement.

8 represents the upper valve, which is represented as the butterfly-valve shown in Fig. 5. It is placed below the upper set of automatic distributers, and is connected by the pipet with a diaphragm constructed to operate the detaching-lever 19 which releases the valve controlling the water-supply.

The operation is as follows: When, by means of a leak or the release of a distributer, the pressure in the pipes is diminished the upper automatic valve is released, the water from the system of pipes enters the pipe at, and the weight of the water, acting on the diaphragm at the bottom of the pipe it, releases the main valve. As the weight of the column of water in the pipe tis considerable in most buildings, a positive force can be exerted to release and open the main valve, and the slightest diminution of pressure will cause the water to flow into the pipe t and open the water supplyvalve.

It is obvious that any kind of an alarm may be connected with any moving portion of either of the two valves.

If the building extends over considerable area, more than one of the small valves may be connected by means of a pipe with the main valve, and the release of any one will furnish the requisite column of Water to release the main valve.

Having thus described my invention, Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Thepmnbination, with a system of pipes and autonfatic fire-extinguishers and supplymain, of an equilibrium-valve arranged to regulate the supply of Water to the system of pipes from the supply-main, and mechanism, substantially as described, for automatically opening the equilibrium-valve by the decrease 'of pressure in the system of pipes and admitting a supply of water to the pipes and fireextinguishcrs, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a system of pipes and automatic fire-extinguishers and supply 20 main, of an equilibrium-valve arranged to regulate the supply of water to the system of pipes and fire-extinguishers from the supplymain, and one or more automatic devices located near the upper portion of the system of pipes, and constructed and adapted, substantially as described, to open the equilibriumvalve upon the decrease of pressure in the system of pipes, substantially as set forth.

3. In a system of automatic fire-extinguishers, the combination, with an equilibriumvalve constructed to regulate the Water-supply and an alarm, the diaphragm 0, lever m, balance-Weight n, and means by which the valve is released and opened when the pressure in the system of pipes is diminished, as described.

FREDERICK GRINNEIJL. Witnesses:

JOSEPH A. MILLER, J. A. MILLER, Jr. 

